The present invention is generally directed to a conveyor for articles, wherein the conveyor includes a workstation for performing a task on the article or for transferring the article to a second lateral conveyor. The invention is particularly directed to a roller conveyor in which a section of the conveyor can selectively function as a workstation at which the longitudinal conveyance of the article is temporarily halted. The article may be halted for lateral transfer to another conveyor, for performing a task on the article, or for reorienting the article on the conveyor.
A roller conveyer system is shown in my issued U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,793 which has a transfer station for enabling an article to be selectively transferred to a lateral conveyor. The article can also be reoriented on the transfer station. The transfer station comprises a plurality of interrupter strips interposed between rollers. Each interrupter strip has a plurality of balls which are selectively movable between a lower neutral position below the tops of the rollers to an upper active position wherein the tops of the balls are above the tops of the rollers. However, the transfer station does not enable the article to be maintained in a stationary manner for enabling a task to be performed on the article.
It is, therefore, a primary object of the invention to provide a roller conveyor having a workstation, wherein an article can be selectively and temporarily halted and maintained in a stationary position to enable a task to be performed on the article.
A further object of the invention is the provision of a roller conveyor having a workstation wherein an article can be halted and selectively maintained in a stationary position and reoriented or transferred to a lateral conveyor.
A further object of the invention is the provision of a tray having a surface which can selectively support an article in a fixed position or enable the article to be easily reoriented on the surface or transferred to another surface.
With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.